Raymarine Downvision transducer - anybody tried mounting in-hull?

[Ric]

The new Raymarine Downvision has two transducer options - a transom mount made of plastic, and a through hull made of bronze.

As the plastic transom mount is bundled with the A68 head unit, I am planning to try this first as intended on the transom with a temporary mounting. The main interest for me is to scan dive sites, so I plan to just mount the transducer when I am looking to dive (I have a normal analogue bottom sounder for general purpose use).

However, I wondered if anybody has had any success mounting the plastic transducer inside the hull, maybe embedded in Sika? A Raymarine technician at SIBS told me that they were planning to do trials on this, but have not heard the result.

 

[Seajet]

I don't know the system you mention, but transom type fishfinder transducers work fine stuck on the inside of a grp hull, I have one.

 

[Jabs]

They have a boat called Raymariner which is used for all sorts of trials such as this.

I have always found them very helpful so why not ring and ask?

Let us know what they say.

It is a brilliant bit of kit.

Tony.

 

[Seajet]

I take it that's the job in Port Solent which has so many antennae she would make a Russian spy trawler green with envy !

 

[AllanG]

I take it that's the job in Port Solent which has so many antennae she would make a Russian spy trawler green with envy !

Think you'll find Raymarine relocated their boat to Swanwick Marina when they moved their offices to Segensworth....but, yes, that's their test boat.

 

[ditchcrawler]

My Lowrance skeg type transducer works inside my hull.I stuck it down with a bit of blue tack to try it in various places,I tried it on the rear cabin floor and it worked fine.I actually do not use the sounder facility as I have a traditional through hull sounder .

 

[Fisher69]

Hi I found this on the Raymarine forum as I'm about to fit one on my boat a Raymarine wifi downscan.
Permalink Reply by Moderator - Raymarine, US on December 23, 2014 at 4:06pm
Brian,
I believe that the method which you have described may be a bit overkill. Should you decide to move forward with your proposed transducer reservoir, I would recommend using RV antifreeze rather than mineral oil. On my own sport boat, I installed a CPT-100 transducer inside the hull as follows:

lightly sand and clean of the intended transducer mounting location inside of the hull
place the transducer on the intended mounting surface press in place a ring of modeling clay around the perimeter of the transducer
remove the transducer, leaving the modeling clay reservoir in place
fill the reservoir with just enough marine epoxy to form a level surface
after the epoxy hardened, pour in an additional layer marine epoxy into the reservoir
press the transducer (bottom side down) into the liquid epoxy until it rests on the level epoxy base
secure the transducer in place using sand bags or other suitable mean until the epoxy hardens

 

[Ric]

I decided to do some trials with different mounting methods of the Downvision transom transducer.

I first tried it on the transom, directly in the water. Only problem is that it kept lifting out of the water on waves.

I then tried it in a plastic bag full of water inside the hull, just in front of the keel. The images were exactly the same as when mounted on the transom.

I then made a dam out of plasticine, filled it with oil, and put the transducer in that. No degradation at all in image quality.

I then tried it mounted with Sikaflex 291 directly in the hull. No image degradation at all.

So I have left it stuck in the Sikaflex.

By the way, the images that the Downvision transducer makes are really spectacular. I can, for example, see all the concrete blocks and chains on the floor of the marina as I sail over them.

 

[Sarpi]

I decided to do some trials with different mounting methods of the Downvision transom transducer.

I first tried it on the transom, directly in the water. Only problem is that it kept lifting out of the water on waves.

I then tried it in a plastic bag full of water inside the hull, just in front of the keel. The images were exactly the same as when mounted on the transom.

I then made a dam out of plasticine, filled it with oil, and put the transducer

I then tried it mounted with Sikaflex 291 directly in the hull. No image degradation at all.

So I have left it stuck in the Sikaflex.


Hey,
I am just about to do the same thing... could you post a picture of the transducer glued with sika ??

thanks.. great idea

 

[Fisher69]

I decided to do some trials with different mounting methods of the Downvision transom transducer.

I first tried it on the transom, directly in the water. Only problem is that it kept lifting out of the water on waves.

I then tried it in a plastic bag full of water inside the hull, just in front of the keel. The images were exactly the same as when mounted on the transom.

I then made a dam out of plasticine, filled it with oil, and put the transducer

I then tried it mounted with Sikaflex 291 directly in the hull. No image degradation at all.

So I have left it stuck in the Sikaflex.


Hey,
I am just about to do the same thing... could you post a picture of the transducer glued with sika ??

thanks.. great idea

I would also love to see pic of the transducer thanks

 

[Ric]

Would be happy to oblige but I'm in Nigeria and boat is in France. But I am a bit baffled why you want to see a picture of a transducer glued down with Sikka - it is not exactly exciting!

 

[Tammany]

Haven't fitted mine to boat yet but used the plasticine mould and sealant method in my fishing kayak. You just have to make sure that whatever you use is free of air bubbles.

 

[Hadenough]

Would be happy to oblige but I'm in Nigeria and boat is in France. But I am a bit baffled why you want to see a picture of a transducer glued down with Sikka - it is not exactly exciting!

No need to lash out on Sika, mine's bedded in Stickslike, works fine.

 

[Seajet]

Agreed, I stuck down the ' transom type ' transducer of my Garmin fishfinder with ( literally ! ) bog standard cheapo silicone sealant, works fine on the flatter aft hull.

I'd think Sikaflex probably a bad idea, not only because of the cost - and the stuff going off once one opens a tube - ( there's a way round that but I've forgotten it ) but it would make life unnecessarily difficult if one wanted to move it for any reason.

 

[Ric]

View attachment 54986View attachment 54985As I wrote earlier, I don't have any photos of the transducer in the hull, but here are a couple of screenshots from the Downvision, taken with the transducer mounted in sikka.

 

[Neeves]

I'd think Sikaflex probably a bad idea, not only because of the cost - and the stuff going off once one opens a tube - ( there's a way round that but I've forgotten it ) but it would make life unnecessarily difficult if one wanted to move it for any reason.

Keep it in the deep freeze.

Jonathan